Have you ever watched a cartoon or a movie where things move smoothly? That’s often thanks to something called keyframes! In video editing and animation, keyframes are particular points that tell the software when to change something, like how fast an object moves or how bright a color is.
There are two main types of keyframes: basic and advanced. Basic keyframes help you make simple changes, like zooming in on a picture or moving an object across the screen.
Advanced keyframes, on the other hand, allow for more complex animations, like rotating and changing the size of an object simultaneously.
In this article, we’ll explore both types, how to add keyframes, and see when to use each one!
Part 1: Basic Keyframes in Filmora
Keyframing in Filmora is a fun technique used in animation and video editing. It helps create movements by marking particular points called “keyframes.” These keyframes show the start and end of an action, like moving or changing something in the video.
Wondershare Filmora automatically fills in the frames between the keyframes to make everything move smoothly. For example, let’s say you filmed a video of boats on a river and want to focus on a particular ship. You can use keyframes to create a slow zoom-in effect. First, you would place a keyframe at the point where you want the zoom to start. Then, you’d add another keyframe where you want the zoom to finish.
All you need to do is adjust the keyframe and how much you want to zoom in for the second keyframe, and Filmora will create a smooth zoom-in effect between the two points!
When to Use Basic Keyframes
Now that we know how keyframes work, let’s explore the different types of keyframing you can use in different scenarios.
- Linear Keyframes
Linear keyframes are the most straightforward kind of keyframe. They help move something at a steady speed from one point to another.
For example, if you wanted to move a ball across the screen, you could use a linear keyframe. However, they can feel a little stiff and robotic, which is why many people like to use other types of keyframes instead.
- Curve Keyframes
Curve keyframes are a bit more advanced. They create smooth transitions between different points. With curve keyframes, you can control the movement’s path so it doesn’t look so straight and stiff. You can change the motion path in Filmora to make it look more natural.
- Continuous Curve Keyframes
Continuous curve keyframes, or continuous Bezier curves, are similar to curve keyframes but even smoother! These keyframes connect curves together without any bumps, making the movement fluid. This helps create a nice, seamless animation when you want to move something smoothly.
- Freeze Keyframes
Freeze keyframes are like a pause button for your video. They hold a frame in one place for a while, almost like taking a snapshot. After a short time, the video will continue playing. Freeze keyframes are great for adding a pause for a story, ending a scene, or creating an excellent teleportation effect.
These types of keyframe animation in Filmora can help you create exciting and smooth animations in your videos!
Part 2: Advanced Keyframes in Filmora
Advanced keyframes let you create more complex animations by controlling multiple things simultaneously, like motion, size, and rotation. Instead of just moving an object or zooming in, you can do much more at once!
You can make the camera move expertly while rotating an object and changing its size simultaneously. You can also zoom in on something while making it spin or fade in and out.
When to Use Advanced Keyframes
Advanced keyframes are ideal for projects requiring more control and precision. Here are key scenarios where they become essential:
- Complex Animations with Multiple Properties: If you’re working with zoom, rotation, and opacity changes simultaneously, advanced keyframes provide the flexibility to coordinate these effects smoothly. This is crucial for creating dynamic visuals like text fading in while zooming and rotating.
- Adding Depth and Professionalism: Advanced keyframes give your videos a more polished look by enabling smoother, more sophisticated movements. You can use it in promotional videos, commercials, or cinematic sequences that need to stand out.
- Precision in Timing and Transitions: When exact timing matters, such as syncing animations with music or transitions, advanced keyframes allow you to fine-tune effects with precision. You can use these keyframe animations in tutorials or explainer videos.
- Ease-in and Ease-out Keyframes: Ease-in and ease-out keyframes make animations feel more realistic. They start slowly, speed up in the middle, and then slow down again before they stop. This makes movements look smooth and natural, like how things move in real life. They are perfect for making your animations feel lifelike!
How to Apply Keyframes in Filmora
Using keyframes in a precise manner is a crucial step. Here is a guide on how to add keyframes using Filmora.
Step 1. Open the Keyframe Panel
First, open Filmora, import the clip and then select the clip you want to work on. Click on the keyframe icon to open the Keyframe Panel. It will initially be empty, as no keyframes have been set yet.
Step 2. Add Initial Keyframes
Move the play head to where you want the zoom to start (e.g., at 1 second). Add Scale and Position Keyframes by clicking the keyframe buttons in the panel:
The first two keyframes on the panel represent the Scale values, and the bottom two keyframes represent the Position values. The keyframe placement is visible on the timeline.
Step 3. Set Zoom Duration and Add More Keyframes
Move the playhead 3 seconds forward (e.g., to 4 seconds). Add another set of Scale and Position keyframes: Increase the Scale (e.g., set it to 140).
Adjust the object’s position (e.g., lower the X value to move right, increase the Y value to move down).
Step 4. Preview the Initial Zoom
Go back to the start and play the clip to see the zoom in action. The movement will be linear, as indicated by the straight lines in the keyframe panel.
Step 5. Smooth the Zoom Effect
Select the first group of keyframes (at the start of the zoom). Apply the Ease Out animation to slow the start of the zoom. Then, select the second group of keyframes. Apply the Ease In animation to smooth the zoom as it finishes. Play the clip again to preview the smoother zoom effect.
Step 6. Zoom Out After Hold
Move the playhead 2 seconds forward from the last keyframe (e.g., to 6 seconds).
Add new Scale and Position keyframes, but don’t change their values. This will hold the zoom-in effect for 4 to 6 seconds.
Step 7. Set Zoom-Out Keyframes
Move the playhead three more seconds forward (e.g., to 9 seconds).
Change the Position back to the original values and lower the Scale to around 110%.
Step 8. Smooth the Zoom-Out Effect
Select the keyframes where the zoom-out starts and apply the Ease Out animation.
Then, select the last group of keyframes and apply the Ease In animation to smooth the final part of the zoom-out.
Step 9. Preview the Final Result
Play the video from the start to view the complete zoom-in and zoom-out effect with smooth transitions.
By following these steps, you will have a smooth zoom-in and zoom-out effect with advanced keyframe control in Filmora.
Conclusion
Basic keyframe animations are great for beginners or more straightforward projects, offering easy adjustments for motion or opacity. On the other hand, advanced keyframes enable more complex animations, controlling multiple properties simultaneously to create professional, dynamic videos.
No matter the type of animation you need, Wondershare Filmora’s intuitive keyframing tools make it easy to bring your creative vision to life.